Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate Soufflé

I wonder if the bankers in the building across the street ever notice me taking photos of my food on the windowsill. I can see them clearly, so maybe they see me, too? If they do, I’m sure they were jealous that on a Wednesday afternoon, while they were sitting in their offices or in the conference room with the red walls and heinous artwork, I was enjoying a chocolate soufflé with hazelnut crème anglaise. This is all thanks to Susan of She’s Becoming DoughMessTic, who chose chocolate soufflés for TWD this week.

At every restaurant I’ve worked in, there’s been a soufflé on the menu at some point. Every pastry chef seems to make them a little differently, but I’ve picked up a few universal tips along the way. Use soft butter to coat your ramekins well (one chef had us do two coats). Use room temperature whites and whip them until they “look like shaving cream.” (I prefer to whip my whites by hand, if the amount is manageable.) Fill individual molds right to the top, level them off, and clean off any batter that may have slopped on the rims. Most importantly, get your soufflés to the table straight away (in a restaurant, this is actually the hardest part, because when a soufflé comes out of the oven, inevitably there are no waiters to be found!).

I made a few individual soufflés, rather than the larger one Dorie suggests. The principles are the same, but the baking time is shorter. I had mine in the oven for somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes…I like them a little puddingy and creamy inside. They were really very chocolatey, light and delicious….and a little pot of chilled hazelnut crème anglaise served alongside didn’t hurt matters any.

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Holy Souffle Batman! Wow, that is the most perfect souffle cup I’ve ever seen – what was your secret to keeping it risen for so long! Nicely done – mine weren’t at all “puddingy”… maybe baked too long – but still delicious. Yes, the backdrop is perfect – and who cares what you were doing . . . on your windowsill?

I never imagine my backyard neighbour to be jealous of the stuff she sees me making from my kitche window, but I do wonder if she thinks I’m crazy for shooting it at the wee hours of the night! LOL

Thanks for the tips, I knew of a few of them already, but since I was dissapointed my soufflé never unglued from the rim… the double buttering will come handy for my next one (does keeping the prepared mould in the fridge still stand, after using soft butter?).

So funny about the bankers- I wonder the same thing about my neighbors. THey must think I am crazy.
So, this is what a souffle is supposed to look like! It is perfect- I might have to try it again, after reading your tips.
Beautiful!

Well any day now, those “banker people” will surely catch on. You’ll hear a knock-knock-knock and Voila you’ll instantly have your very own “Treat Tasting Group!” hehe. Those are magnificent souffles. Wow! I love your restaurant stories too. Keep ‘em coming. Good little morsels of knowledge. Well, I knew some of them but still love hearing them as well. Well the other element I have picked up along the way, and I knew but didn’t take the time to do was and anglaise or ice cream. Definitely next time though. Thanks for stopping by Steph.
AmyRuth

That is an awesome Chocolate Souffle!! I think yours is the only one I’ve seen today that didn’t fall – what’s your secret?
If I were a banker across the street from you, I’d be knocking on your day making friends with you! =)

What a gorgeous souffle Steph! I bet those guys in their fancy offices are jealous. While you were in Oz, did you see the 4’n’Twenty pie ad where the workers were hoeing into their pies while the snooty guys in the restuarant looked on? Now that was a classic.

Your tips are AWESOME. I didn’t know you had to fill it up all of the way (I did individuals as well). LOVE the hazelnut creme anglaise! I’d be a jealous banker, too, if I worked in whatever bank you lived across the street from!

First off, let me apologize for not stopping by to check out your fabulous creations and leaving copious complimentary comments recently- I’ve been fighting a really serious strain of the flu for the last month, and my body’s been having a hard time bouncing back to health! Luckily, I now have a number of your posts to catch up on, and I can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to- I’ve definitely missed having my “A Whisk and a Spoon” fix!

Your chocolate soufflé with hazelnut crème anglaise looks out of this world- look at how high that soufflé rose- my goodness! I’ve never made a true soufflé before, purely out of fear- I know they’re notorious for being finicky and temperamental. This past week I actually made a “fallen chocolate soufflé cake” (which I did post about :) but that totally doesn’t count, because the goal was for the cake the collapse! Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectation- just not chocolatey enough- so maybe I’ll find some courage, and give your soufflé a try. If you gave it the thumbs up, I know it’s a winner. And thanks for all the tips- when I finally do tackle a soufflé, I know they will come in handy. Oh Steph, thank goodness that I know such a wise bakers like yourself, who’s willing to share her secrets!

Well, I hope you’re doing well and had a lovely holiday weekend. Hope to hear from you soon!

Let the bankers drool!!! I love that you show off your wonderful feasts to the world on your sunny windowsills. Keep the voyeurs wanting for more! I love to create foods that are rich in color and flavor and that make folks jealous if they can’t partake. My friends are coming up with ways to make ME jealous, too. They take all the best of the cooking ideas I have and tweak them just so to create wonderful treats for themselves and their families. Thank you for the mouth-watering recipes and pictures. I would welcome your food on my windowsill any day!